Get the most out of hard-boiled leftovers

It’s my own fault. When I think to make them, it somehow strikes me as silly to go to the trouble for just two or three eggs. And since it requires no more time or effort to boil up a dozen, I usually go that route, assuming the extra will make convenient snacks and meals for the next few days.

Except I quickly lose interest in them or forget about them, and they get relegated to the back of the refrigerator until they smell.

When I recently found myself with an abundance of hard-boiled eggs, I decided to be proactive and come up with a delicious way to use them up right away. The result was a delicious egg salad that I spread on slabs of toasted baguette, then topped with thin slices of smoked salmon. I used it as an appetizer, but it was delicious enough to convert into a main meal.

The trick is to make the egg salad a bit in advance, even up to a day ahead. This allows the flavors in the dressing to really develop. And if you’re not a fan of smoked salmon, smoked trout, smoked shrimp or even just plain cooked shrimp would be a delicious substitute.

Egg Salad Sandwich with Smoked Salmon

1/2 cup mayonnaise

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

1/2 teaspoon hot sauce

1/2 cup finely chopped cornichons

1/2 cup finely chopped celery

8 hard-boiled eggs, cooled and roughly chopped

Salt and ground black pepper

4 large slices sourdough bread

4-ounce package thinly sliced smoked salmon

In a medium bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, mustard, smoked paprika and hot sauce. Stir in the cornichons and celery. Gently stir in the chopped hard-boiled eggs, then season with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes, or up to overnight.

When ready to serve, lightly toast the slices of sourdough bread. While the bread is still warm, spread a quarter of the egg salad over each slice, then top with a quarter of the smoked salmon. Serve immediately.